News

Farm Bureau delegates reverse vote, support conservation compliance

American Farm Bureau Federation delegates decided to maintain their support of farmers having to comply with conservation standards in order to qualify for crop insurance subsidies.  They reversed a vote earlier in the session that Farm Bureau policy would oppose conservation compliance.  In a news conference following the delegate voting session Tuesday, Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall explained that delegates wanted the first vote reconsidered to be sure everyone was clear on what the resolution was.

“I think there was a misunderstanding of what they actually were voting on,” said Duvall.  “Some people were a little confused.  They asked to reconsider the policy, we reconsidered it and we went back to the original position that we had.”

Duvall said the reversal was also a decision to honor partnerships formed with conservation groups during formation of the last farm bill.

“We felt like since we’d moved in that direction before and that’s where our policy was standing, that on good faith of working with these other groups, we should keep our policy where it was,” he said.

The Farm Bureau policy setting session Tuesday concluded the group’s 98^th Annual Convention in Phoenix.

AUDIO: Zippy Duvall closing news conference (14 min. MP3)